The Marauders: A James and Lily epic
by Salmalin'sdaughter
Summary: James is forever seeking after Lily... will she finally accept him? With Padfoot, Snevelous, Moony, Wormtail plus Lily's friends thrown into the mix, will that make this brewing relationship bloom or wither?


James Potter at by the lake, brooding, leaning against one of the outer trees of the Forbidden Forest. He wasn't out because it was the only truly sunny day they had had in two months, but because of the enchantment before his eyes.

Lily Evans was across the lake. He watched her talking with her friends, laughing with them under one lone tree facing the Forbidden Forest. She and her friends had apparently been "studying" but now they seemed to be merely gossiping. She sat upright, obviously in deep conversation with her friends.

He was hoping she wouldn't see him, but he couldn't tell. He didn't know what he would say to his friends again about this one, let alone all the rumors that would fly around if the student body knew he was, as Sirius had so bluntly put it as "stalking."

And yet he was still too focused on her than what she was looking at, admiring her red gold hair in the light of the autumn sun, her bright green eyes sparkling.

"Hey, Prongs," said Sirius, who'd just trotted down, "Couldn't find you at the pitch so I," and then he saw what he was staring at. He rolled his eyes, "_Her_ again, huh?"

He shouldn't have asked.

"I don't _get_ it, Sirius. What's _wrong_ with me?"

"You called me Sirius. We must be in _serious_ trouble now," he teased his best friend, but James didn't crack a smile, still absorbed with _her_. Sirius sat, knowing this would take a while, "Nothing's wrong with you, James, she just has bad taste is all."

"Does she? Why does she hang out with Moony then in Arithmance?" James asked, standing, "I guess 'cause Moony's smart… that's it."

"_We're_ smart," Sirius pointed out.

"But we're more devious than he is," said James, "And they've always been good friends, but he _still_ refuses to talk to her for me."

"Because you need to do it yourself," sighed Sirius, leaning against another tree. They'd been over this a million times over.

"But I've _tried_ that," James said, pacing restlessly.

"Come on, your Gryffindor Quidditch Captain _and_ seeker. You get into trouble at least twice a day with Filch _and_ never get caught. You've got enough brains for any three normal students at this school, so you know what's wrong? Your confidence level. You get all low and pretend to be high around her. Do you get it? You should just give up on her if you're so weird around her. You should go for that Pacheco girl. She's in our year too, and she's totally set on you."

James groaned, stopping in front of Sirius, "_You don't understand_. You go out with any and every girl-"

"I resent that statement. I _do not_ go out with every girl," said Sirius, "I go out with the ones that are as good looking as me."

James laughed at his friend's conceit, but then went back to pacing, "Wait, if I could make her jealous-"

"James, how are you going to make her jealous if you don't know that she likes you?" Sirius asked exasperated. This was getting far too desperate.

"I could go out with someone else… yeah, like you said. You're brilliant, Sirius! That's it!" James exclaimed, excited.

"If you say so," sighed Sirius, and then said, "James, that is the stupidest, most idiotically insane idea I have ever heard—."

"I'll ask her in front of her, and all, and you have to watch her reaction for me, alright-," he said, staging it all in his head before he was interrupted.

"I refuse to do any such thing. You're going mad, mate. That girl's getting to your head," Sirius told his friend, folding his arms crossly.

"I know you don't want your worst nightmare to happen all over again, now do you?" James said, with a sly look and smirk on his face.

"You blackmailer!" Sirius accused.

"And I will too. You know I will."

"Black mailing Sirius again?" asked Remus. He sat down beside Sirius. "What's Prong's up to this time?"

"He's scheming," Sirius told Remus and kept on glowering at James.

James went back to his pacing, muttering falling into silence.

"About Lily?" asked Remus, unfolding a piece of parchment he had drawn from his pocket. He searched it.

"No, not James," Sirius said sarcastically, "Where's Wormtail?"

"Detention still, with Filch," said Remus with a disapproving look in his eye.

"Hey, don't look at me like that. It was his own fault for not getting rid of the rest of the dungbombs," said Sirius, hands up in surrender. "Though-," he began to laugh, in his dog-like way, "But yesterday's explosion-," Remus rolled his eyes, knowing what was about to happen, and pulled out a miniscule book from his pocket and tapped it with his wand. The book grew large, and Remus threw Sirius once last stern look before opening to a bookmark. "-was such a classic!" Remus had already immersed himself into the book, ignoring his friend and his laughter.

Sirius looked at Remus, and then sighed, not understanding what was so interesting about some stupid book, pulling the parchment from under his friend's large novel that he had recently acquired. He searched it just as his friend had, and noticed why his friend had been looking. James must've been staring at her with her friends across the lake. He sighed. His friend was pathetic. What on Merlin's name was so important about that girl? Probably because he could have any other Gryffindor, or any other girl for that matter. He didn't think that Sytherin girls would protest to going out with James, though he would never even consider it.

He saw Lindsay dashing towards them on the map, followed more slowly by Lily and Leslie. Lindsay was his girlfriend at the moment, the longest one he'd ever had, and he still wasn't sick of her. Her pitch-dark hair waved behind her as she ran. Sirius barely had time to stand up before she had launched herself at him and had hugged him. Leslie and Lily were talking. Sirius wasn't paying attention to them. Those two always talked a lot, both being muggle-born, not that that had mattered.

"Hey, Lin, how are you?"

"Not bad, and yourself?"

"Fine as I can be."

She rolled her eyes at him, and gave him one of her answers, "As always," before she kissed him. He loved how forward she was.

Neither Remus nor James had noticed the new arrival. Both Leslie and Lily summoned Remus from his reverie.

"What cha reading, Remus?" asked Leslie, sitting down beside him.

He looked up, and smiled at Leslie, "Um, the Greek Mythology book for Ancient Runes homework. When did you get here?" he asked as Lily sat beside him.

"Then you're supposed to be translating that chapter," said Lily.

"I know, I just thought I'd read it first," Remus shrugged. Leslie beamed.

"You can translate too easily," sighed Lily, with mock jealousy, added, "Gift of tongues."

Remus shook his head, "I just practice. I've had the class for three years you know."

"Now four years. NEWTs are this year you know," said Leslie, reminding him.

"I know… But the problem is—," Remus was interrupted.

"What's he doing?" asked Lily, looking at James trying to sound as uninterested as possible, still pacing. Remus knew better.

"I'm not entirely sure," said Remus, with a knowing glance at his friend, and then turned to look at Sirius to see if he and his girlfriend had finished kissing yet. "Can you get James out of his contemplation?"

"I can try. Ja-ames?" Sirius attempted.

"I'm busy, Sirius—," he said waving his friend off.

Sirius inhaled a sigh, and looked at Remus rolling his eyes. "See, he never listens to me."

"No, not at all," said Lily with a knowing look. She knew they would die for each other, were practically brothers, and would have figured out how to do the blood pact if they had the means, though that it was against the law wouldn't bug them whatsoever.

"What is it?" James snapped, stopping his pacing. And then he saw Lily. He paused, and his hand went up automatically to ruffle his hair. It was a reflex for when he was nervous, though he had made it to seem that he did it for style. This time his face didn't feel confident enough to pull it off. "Hi, Lily," he said tentatively, not knowing what to say. He hadn't planned anything… he had no idea what else to say to her at all.

Lily rolled her eyes at his renewal of messing up his hair. He always did that around her. If he could only be himself around her, like she saw him with his Quidditch team, and his friends. But no, he has to show off around her. She hated it. If he would just relax… His big headedness had deflated in increasing amounts since last year, and yet he was not him around her.

"Finally," sighed Sirius, "Have all those crazy ideas flown out of your head yet?"

"There are not crazy ideas. You helped me come up with half of them."

"I did not, that was all you," said Sirius, one arm slung casually around Lindsay's shoulders. Remus was smiling slightly, knowing they were both right in their own way.

Lily and Leslie were talking to themselves, "You know you want to," said Leslie.

"If he'd only be himself around me."

"You can just ask him to be."

"But then he'd be all 'I am me, Lily,' and then some stupid line afterwards," said Lily, sighing, "I just can't win for loosing. You on the other hand-,"

"Shush! He can here you," Leslie whispered hurriedly, looking away from Remus.

It was one of his benefits of his "furry little problem" to be able to listen well, as well as to smell things and see far off things extremely well. He had all the abilities of a tracker, or that's what Greyback had classified him as. Not that he wanted to think about Greyback. He shivered slightly, and tuned back in to listen to the conversation that now included all of them.

"I'm sure the opening quidditch match will be excellent. I can't wait until tomorrow," said Lindsay conversationally. "You'll do well I'm sure," she looked at James with a smirk. "I'm worried about that one fourth year, the one that was uncertain with those bats last year."

"Don't worry. I've trained him up a bit. Greg should do fine now."

"Aren't you worried about Slytherin?" asked Leslie.

James shook his head, "Na, we beat 'em last year, didn't we?"

"True… I guess you're right," said Leslie.

Lily kept her mouth firmly shut. She was certain that she was not going to respond to this kind of behavior. It was just so arrogant, and pig-headed. If she could have just one wish, only one, it would be that she and he were able to be each other… around each other. They went on talking about quidditch. She loved quidditch. Don't get her wrong, she loved to watch and play and she could fly too, but she refused point blank. Not with the stuck up James around.

The topic had turned to school while she had been thinking.

"The school bell will ring soon and study period will be over, and on to Potions class," said Lindsay. She and Sirius were the main speakers. Lily noticed this and had looked suspiciously at James to see if he was planning any pranks, or jokes, though he hadn't done that much around her since sixth year. It had become much easier to see why she had had a crush on him since her first year, though it had almost died in their fourth and fifth year, when his bigheadedness had become severely over baring. "You know that you'll help, right, Lily?" Lindsay asked, breaking her concentration as

"Just because I'm good at potions, Lindsay-."

"No, Lily, you keep forgetting that you're the _Queen_ of potions," said James with a grin. That made her freeze. This was the first compliment he had really ever given her, or at least, given her intelligence. She looked him full in the face. He just smiled his award winning James Potter smile at her, but his eyes seemed imploring. She smiled back.

Their friends noticed the charge that suddenly flowed between them.

Remus couldn't help but smile, guessing to some extent what was going on.

"To Potions, then?" asked Lindsay, breaking the silence. Silence was uncomfortable to her, even if her best friend had been enjoying it.

"Right," said Lily, turning, hiding a blush behind her magnificent hair.

Sirius waited for James.

"She seems to like compliments," said Sirius.

Remus nodded, "Though I would keep them plain, and I wouldn't talk about her looks. She wants _-people-_ to see past that."

"Compliments but not about looks… Hm."

Ahead of them Remus heard Lindsay and Leslie talking to Lily.

"You should just go out with him for _crying out loud_!"

"You don't know what you're talking about. It was only _one_ compliment," Lily pointed out to both her friends.

"I thought it was cute," Leslie put in timidly.

"You think _everything_ is cute, Leslie," said Lindsay, rolling her eyes, going up the front steps of the school.

"Because its true," protested Leslie. Remus chuckled. She did think good of everybody. It was one of her good characteristics, not that she had many bad. She was gullible, and blonde, (not only minded but haired as well) and she was nice to him as well. Those were all good and bad in their own way. He, however, did not like blonde hair, but that didn't matter. What did matter, however, was that she an all around good person. He re-focused on the conversation.

"If he gives you more compliments, will you go out with him?" Lindsay questioned her friend.

"That depends on the matter of the compliment," Lily said curtly, still leading the way to Potions.

"Lily, you're so picky. Most girls would give their legs to go out with you," sighed Lindsay. Leslie gasped, "Not really, Leslie. Stop being so gullible."

Leslie ducked her head.

The temperature dropped the farther down to Potions they got. Remus shivered. They had had to move here for the time being until a hex was lifted off the room that James and Sirius had caused a day ago. They were laughing about it behind him. Remus shook his head. They were absolutely perfect, everything every other girl would want _except_ Lily. Well, actually, Lily really did like James… from a distance.

Lily and Leslie were talking in front of them. Lindsay was behind, most likely clinging to Sirius' every word, as all his girlfriends did.

Peter caught up to him.

"I hate having to spend every break cleaning it all up. It's disgusting."

Remus gagged at the smell of him, "Here, Peter. Hold on," he said through his robe and waved his wand, saying clearly in his mind. _Purcleansgo aeri._ Instantly the air around them was clean. Remus breathed freely.

"Show off," said Sirius behind him.

Remus half turned, "James can do it too," he pointed out with an encouraging smile toward James.

"Yeah, but he doesn't brag about it," Sirius complained. He couldn't yet perform incantations in his head. "Prefect." He said it like an insult.

"You'll get it soon enough," Remus tried to comfort him. He was used to that particular insult, though it had stung a little in the first bit of fifth year. Now, however, it made him grin.

"Yeah? And Lily'll finally say yes to James."

James slugged Sirius, glowering ferociously as Sirius rubbed his arm.

"_Ow_."

"I'll do what?" Lily asked curtly, turning at the sound of her name.

Remus shook his head, "Nothing, Lily."

She frowned, but turned back to Leslie, once again talking in whispers. Not that Remus couldn't hear, he merely tuned them out because it was impolite. He had already heard too much of it as it was, and he guessed the topic hadn't changed. Leslie giggled however, encouraging his curiosity. But he refrained.

They sat down in Slughorn's class, the four Marauders to a table, and the three girls plus- What was _Eric Redden_ doing sitting by Lily!?

James glared down at hemlock, and thought about stuffing it down Eric's throat, but Sirius kicked him under the table. He knew him too well. Far too well. Sometimes they had the same mind. But James glowered up at Sirius. Sirius didn't understand. He went through three girlfriends a week on a regular basis. He'd never really cared about anyone like he did Lily.

"Alright class!" boomed pompous and large Professor Slughorn, "Pair up! We're making a special potion today, a deadly one, as you can see by the hemlock. If it touches your skin, well, let's just not do that." Slughorn beamed at Lily, "Well, Evans, ready for this one? It's tricky."

Peter almost groaned aloud.

"I'm sure I can handle it," she said with a small smile.

If only she'd look at him like that, with that sort of smile… well, it was a start. It would be better than grimacing, or mocking, or angry.

"Jam- I mean Prongs, would you be my partner?" asked Peter.

"Sorry, I'm Sirius'," said James quickly.

"But he's on the other side of the table!" whined Peter, his fat lip pouting, very unappealing.

"It's alright, Peter, just let me do it," said Remus, and James and Remus switched sides. Remus was forever helping Peter, the tag along, while James and Sirius would mock Peter behind his back. Remus did the best he could to be nice to make up for it all. He knew this actually didn't help much. What Peter wanted was James' approval, even more than Sirius. This was probably because Sirius had few morals, and James had at least a line that he didn't cross.

Sirius was whispering to him, but James didn't pay attention. He'd begun to chop up the octopus suckers with brutal force.

Finally, at the end of the lesson, James had still not spoken a word to anyone, committed any prank, or even let Sirius' taunts get to him.

Remus, actually, was enjoying the silence. He could actually concentrate for once.

But Sirius on the other hand, was not happy. His best friend was brooding. He hated when James did this. It was far too- too- boring. He loathed when James would get so focused on one emotion, he wouldn't let anyone else in. Often this happened right before one of those bloody Quidditch games. He had to try to tease James into his normal, smiling mood.

"Mate, if you don't talk to me in three seconds, I'm going to do something drastic," Sirius said, looking around for something drastic to do.

Remus sighed, "Just let him concentrate, Padfoot."

"One…" said Sirius, as a smile spread onto his face. He slipped out his wand. Why in Godric's name had he not thought of this before? "Two…" He watched Redden stir the cauldron, just as James was doing, as Slughorn chatted away to Lily.

Remus saw where Sirius was looking, heard Slughorn say, "Show me, Lily." Lily, stepping to gain control of the cauldron as Sirius hissed, "Three! _Meltus_."

"No, Padfoot," tried Remus, but before he could aim his wand to counter, it was too late. The cauldron liquefied before his eyes as James yelled, "No! _Evaparatorus_!"

Suddenly the deep green goo that had been gushing toward Lily, horrified, had dissolved before their eyes. James examined Lily to make sure she was alright before whispering furiously to Sirius, "You filthy _git_! _You bloody, filthy_-!"

"Shut it, you two!" murmured Remus, turning to hunch over his work.

Remus still couldn't get the concoction just the right shade of green. It was far to pale. Slughorn was coming toward them, red faced.

"Potter, explain yourself!"

"Sir, I was merely-"

"You merely missed loosing twenty house points by pulling that prank! Now you have thirty on your shoulders!"

James mouth fell open. "Thirty!?"

"Yes, thirty, for first trying to kill Evans and then making her potion disappear."

"But I was-."

"Quiet, Potter, or you'll have detention as well."


End file.
